Email this article to a friend

OPM expanding vision, dental options under FEDVIP next year

By
Jack Moore

Federal employees and retirees will have more dental- and vision-insurance options
available to them next year for the first time since 2006, the Office of Personnel
Management announced Friday.

OPM is planning to add four new insurance carriers to the Federal Employees Dental
and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) for 2014.

Currently, 10 companies provide services under the program.

OPM is adding Blue Cross Blue Shield, Delta Dental and Dominion Dental to the roster of dental carriers and is adding Aetna to the vision options.

"I am pleased that we were able to increase the number of carriers participating
in the program, and now we will be offering more choices and flexibility for
enrollees to select insurance coverage," acting OPM Director Elaine Kaplan said in
a June 21 statement.

Kaplan said premium rates and benefits coverage of the new plans would be
announced later this year ahead of the annual federal health-insurance Open
Season.

The 2004 Federal Employees Dental and Vision Benefits Enhancement Act requires OPM
to open the program to new carriers every seven years, although premium rates are
negotiated annually.